NEUROFEEDBACK TRAINING & MUSIC
THERAPY A COMBINED TOOL AS
THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION, DEMENTIA,
AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
written by Prof B.Sai Kiran Kumar Consultant Neurofeedback trainer BCIA USA, B.Shivani Psychologist and certified
Neurofeedback trainer Presidency College, Bangalore
Neurodegenerative diseases are more prominent in the
contemporary time in which depression, dementia, and
Alzheimer’s are clinically significant affecting larger
number of people. Along with lifestyle associative
risk factors, if these conditions are not attended
to, it would cause a fatal effect on the person.
Neurofeedback is a proven therapeutic intervention
which has been in use for many decades. The fundamental
principle of neurofeedback is to create a strong neural
connection between the nerves through audio-visual
stimulation which enhances the neuroplasticity of
the brain - memory indices, and muscle memory.
Music is a profound therapeutic tool which has many benefits
in relieving conditions such as depression, dementia, and
Alzheimer’s. Since most of these conditions are associated with
elderly people, clinically most of the patients exhibit cognitive
decline, memory dysregulation, and delirium (confusion). In
addition to this, the emotional regulation is also affected.
Music therapy when combined with neurofeedback training,
gives a firm foundation for desirable results by helping the
patients to exercise positive emotions, better connectivity
between right and left brain, cognitive reserve which helps
build stronger memory pathways which associated with
the hippocampus of the brain linked to long term and short
term memory processing. Music Therapy is a safe and non-
invasive therapeutic intervention which according many
studies have produced effective results especially in the
case of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Neurofeedback Session
Dementia
Music therapy in synchrony with neurofeedback training can
cause symmetrical brain wave propagation. This can prevent
triggers of depression, dementia, discoordination, and also help
process sequences to form strong neural and memory networks.
A good example of effective neuroplasticity is marked by
observing how a musician is able to remember certain
dynamics of playing an instrument such as scales,
arpeggios, chords, harmony for a prolonged period of
time through practice which has strengthened the muscle
memory, and neural network memory of the person.
Music therapy, especially for these three conditions
is proposed to have positive results in decreasing
depressive episode and optimizing cognitive
abilities such as spatial memory/recognition.
KEY WORDS:
Neurofeedback training, Music therapy, Neurodegenerative,
Depression, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Neural connection,
Audio Visual stimulation, Neuroplasticity, Muscle
memory, Delirium, Memory network, Cognitive reserve.
REFERENCES:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4591427/
https://www.neurones.espci.fr/Articles_PS/NCTA2011%20
IMMERSIVE%20NEUROFEEDBACK.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5267457/
Alzheimers
The
Score Magazine
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